HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING Returns to London
By: BWW News Desk Feb. 08, 2017
Today WILTON'S MUSIC HALL announces a revival of the award-winning, critically-acclaimed Broadway musical comedy How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, opening for a limited run from 8 April. The amusing tale, which first debuted on Broadway in 1961, charts the journey of J. Pierrepont Finch as he joins the World Wide Wicket Company, climbing his way to the top in New York City, 1950.
All Finch wants is to be more successful, to get ahead, to change the world for the better - is that really so difficult? Luckily Finch has a copy of the book 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying', teaching him everything he needs to know about the science of success. This anarchic, musical romp is jam-packed with sharp humour and has its tongue placed firmly in its cheek as it follows Finch's rise from lowly window cleaner to Chairman of the board.
Last seen in London over 50 years ago, Wilton's Music Hall provides the perfect backdrop for this long-awaited revival where business and pleasure collide in the most uproarious of wayS. Boasting an addictive score by Guys and Dolls composer Frank Loesser, this Pulitzer Prize-winning show includes famous numbers such as I Believe In You, Brotherhood of Man and Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm.
Marc Pickering (LES MISERABLES, Calendar Girls, Sleepy Hollow) will lead the production playing the aspiring and playful businessman J. Pierrepont Finch with Hannah Grover playing his love interest Rosemary. Lizzii Hills will play the big boss's secret mistress Hedy LaRue while GERI ALLEN will play Rosemary's best friend Smitty. There will be further cast announcements in the coming weeks.
This classic Broadway musical production will be directed by Benji Sperring, the man behind recent London hits Toxic Avenger and Shock Treatment and will be presented by NICHOLAS THOMPSON PRODUCTIONS and TARQUIN PRODUCTIONS in association with the King's Head Theatre.
Book By Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock And Willie Gilbert//Music And Lyrics By Frank Loesser//Based Upon The Book By Shepherd Mead//Originally Presented By Cy Feuer And Ernest H. Martin In Association With Frank Productions//Performed By Arrangement With Music Theatre International (europe) Ltd.
Cast to date
Marc Pickering (J Pierrepont Finch)
Hannah Grover (Rosemary Pilkington)
Lizzii Hills (Hedy LaRue)
Geri Allen (Smitty)
Creative team
Director - Benji Sperring
Designer - Mike Lees
Musical Director - Benjamin Ferguson
Choreographer - Lucie Pankhurst
Lighting Designer - Nic Farman
Theatre Credits include: Lee Fenton in As We Forgive Them (E.R.T Theatre); Harvey Stern in The Stripper (St James Theatre); White Dude in Toxic Avenger the Musical (Southwark Playhouse),
Alderman Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington (Milton Keynes Theatre), Abanazar in Aladdin (Milton Keynes Theatre); Reiver in An Incident at the Border (Trafalgar Studios 2); Solanio in Merchant of Venice (The Arcola); Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz (The Royal & Derngate); John Merrick in Elephant Man (Trafalgar Studios 2); Private Whitaker in The Long & the Short & the Tall (The Pleasance Theatre); Eddie in Honeymoon Suite (Hull Truck); Bugsy Malone, Tin Pan Ally, Ragged Child, Wizard of Oz (National Youth Music Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe)
Film Credits Include: Montparnasse, LES MISERABLES (Dir Tom Hooper): Young Masbath, Sleepy Hollow (Dir Tim Burton); Gaz, Calendar Girls (Dir Nigel Cole); Brian, Cashback (Dir Sean Ellis);
Hereward, A Viking Saga:The Darkest Day (Dir Chris Crow), Sam, I Want Candy (Dir Steven Surjik)
Danny, Kill Keith (Dir Andy Thompson); Randall,The Task (Dir Simon Fellows); Henry, The Queen of Sheba's Pearls (Dir Colin Nutley); Andrea Zane, Secret Passage (Dir Ademir Kenoirvich)
Television Credits include: The young Enoch Thompson, Boardwalk Empire (HBO); Ippolito D'este, Borgia III(Netflix); R Wayne, Peter Kay's Britains got the Pop factor (Channel 4); Tommy, Peter Capaldi's Cricklewood Greats (BBC One), Sammy, Dalziel & Pascoe (BBC One); Brian, Homeboys (pilot BBC One); Leon, Fried Brian Sandwich(Pilot Sony Pictures)
Theatre credits include: Lead Vocalist in Broadway Christmas Wonderland (USA Tour); Cathy Hiatt in The Last Five Years (The Musical season); Woman 1 in I Love You You're Perfect Now Change(Frinton Festival Theatre); Annabelle/ Sherry Mendez/ Sarah Arkwright in The Stripper (St James Theatre); Sarah in Toxic Avenger (Southwark Playhouse); Molly Jensen in GHOST The Musical (English Theatre Frankfurt); Alternate Eva Peron in EVITA (UK Tour); Brooke Wyndham in LEGALLY BLONDE (UK Tour); covered and played Sophie Sheridan in MAMMA MIA! (Prince Of Wales Theatre); Narrator in Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour); Title role in CINDERELLA (National Indoor Arena, Birmingham)
Television & Film credits include: Starter For Ten (Playtone/HBO); Aternum Vale (nominated for a Royal Television Society Award)
Theatre Credits include: Moon Goddess/Rose in Luna Park for Page to Stage (Tristan Bates Theatre) ; Mayor Babs Belgoody/Ma Ferd in The European Premier of The Toxic Avenger (Southwark Playhouse); Helevetia in The Ratpack ( Adelphi Theatre); Ensemble u/s Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium); June u/s Velma/Mama Morton in Chicago(West End); Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls (Kilworth House); Susie in Crazy For You ( Kilworth House); Karen in Eastenders (BBC); Vanessa in Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures); Galavant (ABC); Ensemble u/s Tracey Lord in High Society( UK Tour); Ensemble u/s Lady Jaqueline/Sally in Me and My Girl (UK Tour)
Geri Allen
Theatre Credits include: Mabel Taliafero in Luna Park (Tristan Bates Theatre); Aveline/Rosamund in Stoat Hall (Eastern Angles Theatre, Tour); Miss Lynch in Grease the Musical (Scandinavian Tour); Mrs Clipstone in Danny the Champion of the World (UK Tour); Polga in Cinderella and the Glass Slipper (Hertford Theatre); Journalist in Superheroes (Rich Mix, BethnAl Green); Peggy in Godspell (Ye Olde Rose and Crown, Walthamstow); The Woman in Double Exposure (Phoenix Artist Club); Antoinette in Shoes that Angels Fear to Wear (Barons Court Theatre); Toad in Wind in the Willows (UK tour); Narrator/Little John in Robin Hood (UK tour).
Television Credits include: Woman in Gaining Pounds -Go Compare (Fold 7), The Mistress in Pescatore's Dog (Fold Up Productions), Emma in Swinging Radio England (Greene HD Productions), Jillian in The Bill (ITV)
WILTON'S MUSIC HALL
East London gem Wilton's Music Hall re-opened the doors to its Grade II listed building in 2015 after extensive refurbishment. The oldest Grand Music Hall in the world, they are fast becoming one of the country's most vibrant multi-arts venues, home to a year-round programme of live music, ground-breaking comedy, dance and diverse theatre productions which have been seen by over 40,000 people in the past year. It also houses two main bars, the Mahogany and Cocktail bars, which are much-loved destinations in their own right, serving a carefully selected range of beers, wines and spirits. Their delicious menu of seasonal dishes and small plates is designed by in-house caterers Gatherers and inspired by Wiltons' distinctive heritage.
NICK THOMPSON PRODUCTIONS AND TARQUIN PRODUCTIONS
Nick Thompson Productions is a theatrical production and general management company specialising in producing and managing the very best theatre in the West End, regionally and on tour. Led by Nick Thompson, an experienced general manager, his productions include; The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (longest running Off West End comedy), The Importance of Being Earnest (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Kissing Sid James, (59E59), the Olivier award winning The Play That Goes Wrong (Trafalgar Studios) and Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Pleasance Theatre London).
Tarquin Productions was founded in 2011 by Benji Sperring and is based on the ideals of renovating and rejuvenating forgotten plays for the Contemporary Stage. Tarquin takes work which has been neglected or consigned to the annals of history and uses a unique visual spin to create engaging, enigmatic productions.
Tarquin believe that to discover new things about theatre and the world we live in, the greatest source is the past. We use texts that have changed the theatrical lineage, and reimagine them with all of the tools at our disposal.
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